What two colors make alizarin crimson?

Chromilla's watercolor recipe uses 3 tubes rather than two: 88% Alizarin Crimson, 7% Viridian Green and 5% Titanium White. Alizarin Crimson leads the mix. Chromilla's model predicts a 93% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

What is the hex code for alizarin crimson?

Chromilla uses #8A1B2E as the target for alizarin crimson. The watercolor recipe is predicted to dry to about #7D192B.

Can I mix alizarin crimson without black?

Yes. Chromilla's watercolor recipe uses no black: 88% Alizarin Crimson, 7% Viridian Green and 5% Titanium White.

How to Mix Alizarin Crimson in Watercolor

Quick answer

To mix alizarin crimson (#8A1B2E) in watercolor, use 88% Alizarin Crimson, 7% Viridian Green and 5% Titanium White. Chromilla's model predicts a 93% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out. Chromilla is a web-based paint color mixer that turns any color, from a photo, the camera or a hex code, into exact paint-tube ratios for acrylic, oil and watercolor, using Kubelka-Munk pigment mixing and aiming at the color after it dries.

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Target

Alizarin Crimson

#8A1B2E

Predicted dry result

93% match when dry

Mix to #891B2D while wet. It dries to about #7D192B.

Alizarin Crimson in watercolor: tube ratios, and ml for a 100 ml batch
Paint	Pigment	Share	100 ml batch
Alizarin Crimson	PR83	88%	88 ml
Viridian Green	PG18	7%	7 ml
Titanium White	PW6	5%	5 ml

How we calculated this: Kubelka-Munk pigment mixing, then a per-medium dry shift, scored with CIEDE2000. Method and accuracy benchmark. Last checked August 2026.

Terms used here: Tinting strength, Dry shift, Kubelka-Munk, Delta E (dE2000), Pigment code, Gamut.

A deep, transparent cool red. Perfect for shadows and glazes. This guide gives you the pigment ratios that land on #8A1B2E in watercolor, using the same solver that powers the Chromilla mixer.

Pigment recipe

Checked August 2026

Ratios calibrated for watercolor. Start with the dominant pigment, add the modifiers in the order below, and adjust in 5% steps to your target swatch.

1. Alizarin Crimson
PR83
88%
2. Viridian Green
PG18
7%
3. Titanium White
PW6
5%

What colors make Alizarin Crimson?

Alizarin Crimson, Viridian Green, and Titanium White, in roughly a 88:7:5 ratio.

How to make Alizarin Crimson in watercolor

Start with Alizarin Crimson at about 88% as your watercolor base, then work in Viridian Green and Titanium White in the order above. Adjust in 5% steps until the swatch reads #8A1B2E.

Why mix Alizarin Crimson instead of buying it

Mixing Alizarin Crimson yourself lets you approximate an expensive or hard to find tube from pigments you already own, match Alizarin Crimson across paint brands whose factory tubes differ, and rebuild the exact color when you run out mid painting. The recipe above is the working starting point.

Common mistakes

White cools and chalks a mix as you add it, so tint in small steps and stop before it goes pastel.

Variations on Alizarin Crimson

Each variation is its own target (lighter and darker move OKLCH lightness by 0.08; warmer and cooler turn the hue 12 degrees toward red or blue), solved fresh.

Lighter Alizarin Crimson

#A53643

11 parts Alizarin Crimson, 5 parts Titanium White and 4 parts Burnt Umber. Chromilla's model predicts a 93% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

Darker Alizarin Crimson

#6C021C

7 parts Alizarin Crimson to 1 part Viridian Green. Chromilla's model predicts a 94% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

Warmer Alizarin Crimson

#8A1E16

3 parts Burnt Sienna to 2 parts Alizarin Crimson. Chromilla's model predicts a 94% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

Cooler Alizarin Crimson

#881B41

6 parts Alizarin Crimson, 3 parts Viridian Green and 1 part Titanium White. Chromilla's model predicts a 91% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.

Alizarin Crimson questions

What two colors make alizarin crimson?: Chromilla's watercolor recipe uses 3 tubes rather than two: 88% Alizarin Crimson, 7% Viridian Green and 5% Titanium White. Alizarin Crimson leads the mix. Chromilla's model predicts a 93% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.
How do you make alizarin crimson paint lighter without losing the hue?: Re-balance the mix instead of only adding white. For a lighter alizarin crimson (#A53643) in watercolor, Chromilla mixes 11 parts Alizarin Crimson, 5 parts Titanium White and 4 parts Burnt Umber. Chromilla's model predicts a 93% dry match against the target, scored against its own color model, not a measured paint-out.
What is the hex code for alizarin crimson?: Chromilla uses #8A1B2E as the target for alizarin crimson. The watercolor recipe is predicted to dry to about #7D192B.
Can I mix alizarin crimson without black?: Yes. Chromilla's watercolor recipe uses no black: 88% Alizarin Crimson, 7% Viridian Green and 5% Titanium White.

Alizarin Crimson in other mediums

Alizarin Crimson in Acrylic: 88% Alizarin Crimson, 7% Viridian Green and 5% Titanium White, predicted 94% dry match by Chromilla's color model.
Alizarin Crimson in Oil: 88% Alizarin Crimson, 7% Viridian Green and 5% Titanium White, predicted 99% dry match by Chromilla's color model.

Get this recipe for your paint brand

Open the live mixer with Alizarin Crimson + watercolor pre-loaded and calibrate to your tubes.

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Technique guides for this color

Related mixing guides

Pigment mixing is subtractive, so small ratio changes matter. The mixer refines this recipe to your brand and updates on the fly.